Gaming is no longer the preserve of lone teenagers hunched over consoles while
locked in their bedrooms

Although online gaming is still extremely popular with men aged 15-24, women aged 35 and over regularly outnumber their male counterparts, according to a new report from casual gaming company Spil Games.

In Turkey, Brazil, Netherlands, US, UK, and France, there are more women over 35 gaming than men, and the report states that 73 per cent of Turkish women aged 35-44 play online games.

Adult women tend to play games primarily to break away from their daily routine and at the same time get some mental stimulation. These players tend to prefer puzzle games, matching games and Mahjong-style games, which involve matching pairs of images to eliminate pieces from a board.

Gaming is also popular amongst teenagers and 'tween' girls, who like to explore their future life through role-play. Acting out grown-up situations they recognise from the world around them (like pretending to have a job or be a parent) helps them feel independent, according to the report.

Cooking games, dress-up games and pet caring games are particularly popular amongst girls, while boys prefer racing games, sports games and action games, which are more focused on competition and showing off their high scores than on creativity.

"Girls like to be creative, and they like to share their creativity with others. They want to be connected to those around them and to show their friends what they’ve made," the report states.

"Many of these games, particularly Sara’s Cooking Class, also have a cross-generational appeal, with mums regularly playing them with their daughters for bonding time and for a bit of light entertainment."

The total number of people around the globe who play games is expected to surpass 1.2 billion by the end of 2013, according to comScore, representing 44 per cent of the world’s online population. The global games market is currently worth $70.4 billion and is expected to grow at 6 per cent a year.

"Modern gamers play everywhere and at all times. They might start on their smartphones while commuting to work or school, continue on their desktop or laptop during the day, and go on playing on their tablets at home in the evening," the report states.

"It’s inevitable that more devices will be developed to support this growing area, and browser or app-based games will draw in the mass market as they offer the easiest entry point into gaming."